Valentine's Masquerade
by The Werewolf Mage
Summary: Dumbledore has allowed the fifth years and above to hold a Valentine's Masquerade in the Great Hall. And everyone's excited for it. Everyone except Gen, as usual.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Valentine's Masquerade

Summary: Dumbledore has allowed the fifth years and above to hold a Valentine's Masquerade in the Great Hall. And everyone's excited for it. Everyone except Gen, as usual.

Note: It'll be a 5-10 chapter fic, not too short hopefully.

Four girls were not joining in the excited chatter that the fifth, sixth, and their fellow seventh years were enjoying. "Well, are we going?" Lily Evans finally asked, tucking a strand of deep red hair behind her ear and smiling at the other three as they waited outside of the dungeons for Slughorn to allow them into the classroom with their fellow Gryffindors.

"I might look into it." Celeste Helms shrugged, shifting her books from one arm to another, looking antsy. "Ooh, I wish he would hurry up. I'm glad this isn't a double lesson! I can't believe I skipped breakfast."

"I can." Lily said with a grin. "What about you two?" she asked, turning to the two cousins, who had, so far, remained quiet.

"What, believe Celeste skipped breakfast?" Marci Morrow giggled. "That I can believe. This masquerade thing? I'm unsure about that." she added with a wistful sigh in Sirius Black's direction.

"Hopeless." Gwendolyn Moore muttered with a glare in her cousin's direction. "Utterly hopeless."

"What, just because I want -- "

Marci was cut off as Slughorn gestured the students inside. The four girls settled down at the table in the back of the classroom so they could continue their conversation in a hushed whisper. "Well, Gen, are you going or not?"

"I've got no one to go with, so why should I?" Gen asked with a tiny sigh.

"It'll be fun!" Lily argued. "And, after all, you could suck it up and go with Sirius."

She exchanged glances and grins with the other girls as little pink patches of anger rose up in Gen's cheeks. "I would rather impale myself." Gen spat, shifting through her bag, looking for her scales. "Besides, his little fan club would kill me." she added with a groan.

They quickly silenced themselves as Slughorn passed by, thankfully not noticing how quickly they were working to catch up with the rest of the class. 'It wouldn't be too bad to go...' Gen thought with a small frown as she caught a glimpse of Remus Lupin across the room.

Snapping herself back to attention, she realized far too late that Celeste had noticed her. "Going to ask Lupin?" she whispered, bending low over her book so that the other two girls, and the rest of the class, couldn't hear her.

"Shut up or I'll set you up with Pettigrew." Gen growled. 'Great.' she thought. 'Just wonderful. Now she's going to blackmail me into something, I just know it.'

Celeste, however, was silent for the rest of the class. The four girls barely passed that lesson, but Slughorn brushed it off, saying, "It must be the excitement. I don't think anyone was paying attention this morning." as the four of them squeezed out of the doors and raced off to the Great Hall.

"Mmm, lunch, I love you!" Celeste squealed, diving into her plate at once.

"How lady-like." James grinned as he passed the four of them. "So, Evans, you want to go with me to this little, ah, masquerade thing? Sounds interesting, doesn't it?"

"I'll think about it." Lily smiled.

James looked bewildered for a moment, before shaking his head and saying, "Ah, fine, I'll ask you again later. Maybe you'll have made your mind up by then."

"Maybe." Lily replied with a smile. She smiled faintly as James joined up with the rest of the Marauders at the other end of the table.

"Spill, now!" the other three girls demanded at the same time. "You're going to give him a chance?"

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Gen demanded, waving her fork threatening at Lily, looking as though she were going to spear her with it if she did not tell them.

With a sigh, Lily said, "Well, I decided I should give him a chance. It's our last year and he's finally decided to mature himself."

"All together girls, 'Awww!'" Marci cooed.

Lily blushed a light pink before saying, "Now if we could get you together with Sirius, Celeste together with that really cute sixth year Ravenclaw, and Gen together with -- "

"Remus Lupin." Celeste squealed, choking on her pumpkin juice as Gen lunged at her.

"Remus Lupin!" Lily and Marci asked, exchanging glances with each other, looking almost as bewildered as James had a few minutes before. "Wha, why didn't you tell us? We could have tried to get you two together!"

Gen growled in anger, grabbed her bag, and stalked out of the Great Hall. 'What a big mouth.' she thought with a frown, stopping in the deserted hall and staring out the window at the lake. 'Although...' she thought with a faint smile. 'I wonder how well Remus can dance?'


	2. Chapter 2

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 2

"Oh, poor little firsties, they're so sad." Celeste smirked as she and the other three girls worked on an essay that was due the following morning for Charms.

"My god, could you even IMAGINE the chaos they could cause?" Marci asked her, giggling, as she scratched out a few lines.

"Oh, I don't even want to think about it." Gen murmured, frowning at her own essay. "They're a danger just frolicking down the halls in their little firstie way."

Lily giggled despite her frustration at the essay. "Not to mention we all make at least two of them and would probably wind up stepping on one or something."

"So, Lily," Gen began sweetly, pushing her half-finished essay out of the way and propping her chin in her hand, glancing from Lily to James, engrossed in his own essay across the room, and back again. "Given James anymore thought, at all?"

"I may have." Lily shrugged, with her own sweet, innocent smile. "OK, honestly? All through Arithmancy. Happy?"

"Very." Gen smiled as Marci and Celeste began to giggle. "And are you going to go with him?"

"I don't know..." Lily trailed off with a tiny sigh. "I might."

"Guys, remind me to never ask Lily for a straight answer ever again." Marci groaned, diving once more into her essay.

"Oh, you guys." Lily said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," Gen interjected. "Lily just won't give straight answers about James. She's still going to help with our Potions, aren't you?"

"I doubt it, since you three are going to be that way." Lily said smugly. Then, she grinned, and said, "Fine, I'll help you guys. But if you keep it up, I won't."

"Thank you, Lily." the other three chorused innocently.

"Sure, you're thinking me now, but as soon as I get out of earshot, you'll start gossiping about me and Potter. I know you three, so don't try to convince me you won't."

Across the Common Room, the four Marauders were having a slightly similar conversation. Only slightly. "So, Evans said she would go with you, or that she would think about it?" Sirius demanded, frowning at his Charms textbook.

"She didn't say she'd go, but she didn't say she wouldn't, either." James muttered absently.

"Well, if she says yes, get her to ask Moore for me."

"Sirius, I'm not getting her to ask Gen for you." James snapped. "And, no I won't ask Gen for you after Quidditch practice tomorrow night, either, so forget it. If you want her to go with you, ask her yourself."

"But she'll throw something at me!" Sirius argued. "She's evil!"

"She is not, Sirius." Remus interjected, writing in a few more sentences on his essay, and ignoring Peter, who was nodding in agreement with Sirius. "She just doesn't like you."

"You think she could find a better way to tell me." Sirius grumbled. "So, Moony, to get off that depressing subject, who do you want to go with?"

"He probably won't go." James pointed out. "You know how he gets."

"James..." Remus began, waving his quill at James in a threatening manner.

"Fine! We won't discuss your furry little problem or how you think it'll affect your love life!" James said with a grin. A couple of sixth year girls, who were passing by the table, twittered and raced for their dorms, no doubt to discuss what they think they might have overheard.

"I wish you wouldn't call it that." Remus frowned.

"Well, it's furry, and it's your problem..." James trailed off as Sirius tried to muffle his snickering. "OK, granted, you don't think it's little, I think it covers it nicely without anyone suspecting anything."

"I think so, too." Sirius grinned. "Although... it does get people to gossiping about how badly your pets behave. I think I'll buy you a rabbit for your birthday."

Rolling his eyes and returning to his essay, Remus muttered, "Only you would."

"Back to the matter at hand." James said, brandishing his quill with a flourish. "I've got Evans, Sirius has the vast majority of the female part of Hogwarts he could get to go with him. Hell, even Peter has that blonde Ravenclaw. You need to lighten up and enjoy yourself when your problem isn't acting up."

"Forget it, Prongs. Remus is the master of taking things far too seriously and not lightening up." Sirius said with a dramatic sigh. "Let him miss the masquerade. He won't enjoy it anyway."

"Yeah, he would just ruin it." James said with a barely noticeable wink. Remus frowned at the two of them before finishing his essay and rolling it up, tucking it away in his bag. "Even though there's got to be at least one girl in the school who would LOVE to go with him."

Remus ignored them and headed to bed soon afterwards. James heaved a sigh, having just finished his essay, and said, "Well, that didn't work."

"We'll think of something." Sirius grinned. "Right now, let's just focus on you and Evans."

James, who glanced at Lily as she and the other girls headed to their dorm, nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow's another day, hopefully she'll give me a straight answer."


	3. Chapter 3

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 3

"Oh, Lily, hurry up and answer him all ready!" Celeste sighed during History of Magic, catching James, looking slightly bored, and slightly forlorn, out of the corner of her eye.

"Honestly, Lily, he needs an answer. He wouldn't leave me alone about it last night at Quidditch practice." Gen murmured, her head resting on her arms as she stared blankly at the chalkboard.

"Really?" Lily asked, looking wary. "So that's why you were so late getting back from the Pitch last night."

Gen nodded and yawned, having not gotten any sleep the night before. "Mm-hmm. Wake me up in a half hour. Or whenever the lesson's over, whichever comes first."

"Let's let her sleep." Lily sighed. "So, do you guys really think I should say yes? I mean..." she trailed off, glancing at James, who had his chin cupped in his hand, staring at the wall vacantly and drooling slightly. "It's James." she finished, looking disgusted.

"Well, I should think you would say yes!" Marci whispered, looking slightly shocked. "I mean, he's cute, good at Quidditch, AND you did say he's tried to mature himself this year."

"She's right. He deserves at least one chance." Celeste said with a nod.

"But!" Looking from one girl to the other, she realized she was defeated. "All right." she sighed. "He gets ONE chance. ONE! I'll tell him after this lesson."

But as time drew nearer for the lesson to be over with, Lily felt slightly queasy. 'How do you tell the boy you've basically HATED for years that you'll give him a chance?' she thought, wincing slightly as the time ticked away.

'Gen!' she thought with a grin. 'She's almost impossible to wake up! Perfect! Note to self: buy her some chocolate next Hogsmeade weekend.'

But the other two had planned for this. "Go catch up with James!" Celeste hissed, prodding Gen with her quill. "Hurry up before you lose him in this mass crowd of firsties!"

With a groan, Lily dragged herself out of the classroom. Luckily, or unluckily, for her, James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius had stopped right down the hall. "Here goes nothing." Lily sighed. "Potter, can I have a word with you?" she began, trying not to blush. Or run away. "Privately?" she added, noticing Sirius's grin.

"Sure." James muttered, looking slightly bewildered as he followed her into the nearby empty classroom. "Ah, they've probably got their ears at the door." he added in a whisper.

"Most likely. And the girls would, too, if they were out there." Lily muttered, shuffling her feet nervously. "Um, I just – I decided I'll go with you... to the masquerade."

"You mean it?" James asked, staring at her in disbelief. "You really mean it? This is... no sick joke, no early April Fool's Day kind of thing? No set up to embarrass me? No -- "

Before she even realized what she was doing, Lily brushing a soft kiss against his lips and murmured, "I mean it."

"Wow." James whispered. "This... I can't believe it."

"Believe it." Lily smiled. "But, ah, we'd better get to Charms before we get detention." she added with a nervous chuckle.

"Right, right." James nodded, still slightly shocked. "I'll, ah, catch up with you later." he muttered, heading out of the classroom. Much to his surprise, the other three were not outside the door.

Thankful this is a free period for him, he headed back to the Common Room. "I still can't believe it." he muttered. "She actually said yes! But what changed her mind?"

Ignoring his homework he had, he frowned, deep in thought and not noticing when Sirius joined him. "Hey, Prongs, you still alive in there?" Sirius asked, uncertainly, poking James with his quill.

"Huh?" James muttered. "Oh, yeah."

"What did Evans want?" Sirius demanded, pulling out his Transfiguration book and dropping it on the table with a loud thud.

James, finally snapped back to reality, said, "She told me she'd go to the masquerade with me. I think she's leading me on."

"Knowing Evans..." Sirius trailed off. "Aw, hell, Potter, just give a chance. If she's plotting some prank, then we need to plot a counter-prank."

'Great.' James thought. 'Just what we need: an excuse for Lily to kill me.' He figured there was no chance to stop Sirius from his plan. Instead, he merely nodded and acted interested while thinking of ways he could possibly get Sirius to forget his plans of a prank just in case the girls decided to prank him at the masquerade.

'This is impossible.' he finally decided. 'My love life is doomed.'


	4. Chapter 4

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 4

The following morning, James found his way of getting Sirius to get his mind of pranking the girls, just in case they decided to prank the boys first.

"Say, Sirius, if I can get Gen to go with you, will you forget about your prank?" James asked sweetly as the two of them, running late, raced down the corridor before McGonagall gave them yet another detention.

"Maybe." Sirius shrugged. "Although, it's always safe to have a back-up plan."

"Only you would think of a back-up plan for a dance." James frowned.

"Hey, Evans has GOT to be up to something. She's turned you down, well, I've lost count, but you get my point! To actually say yes to you after turning you down THAT much? She's got something planned."

James sighed, figuring there WAS no talking Sirius out of this prank he had planned. He just had to hope that Sirius would tell him what his prank was so he could warn the girls. He didn't even notice Sirius was still talking.

"You know what? Didn't Gen say she wasn't going?"

"I don't know." James answered honestly. If she had any plans on going, she sure hadn't told him about them. Of course, she probably wouldn't go if Remus wasn't going to go. And if Sirius found that out, well, James figured there would probably be one less Marauder. Sirius would kill Remus and Remus would have no idea why.

As late as they were, McGonagall actually let them off with about five minutes of scolding them on how important it was to be on time. Neither of them felt like arguing with her, and neither of them felt like blaming the other for their tardiness. So they just hung their heads in shame and pretended to care about what she said.

Across the room, Lily flashed James a sympathetic smile. A sympathetic smile that Gen noted. "Aw, finally feeling sorry for him?" she whispered with a giggle.

"Oh, shut up, Gwendolyn."

"Touchy, touchy." Gen sighed, returning to her notes. "All I said was -- "

"And I said shut up." Lily giggled. "Or I'll tell Remus you've taken a fancy to him."

"You wouldn't." Gen replied with a smug smile.

"What makes you think that?" Lily demanded.

"Because you hate it when I'm mad at you and I would hate you forever. Ergo, you wouldn't do it."

'Stupid Gen, thinks she's so smart." Lily thought sourly, turning her attention back to her own notes. 'But she's right. I couldn't do it.'

After Transfiguration, they had History of Magic. Which was as boring and uneventful as ever. "At least we only have to deal with it for a few more months." James groaned, trying his best not to fall asleep. "Stupid boring lesson." he yawned.

Behind him, he heard Sirius stifle his laughter and an annoyed groan from Gen. Looking behind him, James grinned. Gen was asleep and Sirius was gently tickling her with his quill. And, even though she was asleep, she was growing very aggravated with him.

"She's going to hurt you, and I'm going to laugh." James whispered.

"I know, and I will too." Sirius smirked as Gen shoved his hand away and buried her face in her arms, muttering something in her sleep.

"Just leave her alone, Sirius." Remus said with a frown, turning in his chair to face him.

"But it's fun, Mister I-Can't-Enjoy-Myself-So-I-Won't-Let-Anyone-Else-Have-Any-Fun." Sirius snapped. "Since you asked me so nicely," he added, sarcasm oozing from every syllable, "I'll stop."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah." Sirius muttered off-handedly. "So," he began, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on the desk, "speaking of enjoying yourself, decided on whether or not you're going to the masquerade?"

"I haven't." Remus muttered stiffly. "Why are you so determined I should go?"

"No reason." Sirius shrugged. "No reason at all."

"Yeah, right." James muttered, rolling his eyes with a frown of his own. "He's got a prank planned in case the girls are up to something and he wants every possible person there that can help him."

"Fine, then." Remus scowled. "I won't be going."

'Gen's not going to be too happy to hear that.' James thought sadly.


	5. Chapter 5

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 5

On the way to the Common Room after the last lesson of the day, Charms, Gen, lost in her own thoughts, did not notice Remus until she bumped into him. "I'm so sorry, Remus."she stammered as she scrambled to pick up her books.

"It's fine." he muttered, helping her gather her books. "It's kind of my fault. I wasn't paying attention."

"Neither was I." Gen said with a sheepish giggle. She unceremoniously stuffed the rest of her books and parchment into her bag. She gave him a timid smile and got to her feet. "I need to get started on that Potions essay." she muttered off-handedly.

"Me, too." Remus muttered, looking as though he would much rather be doing anything else.

The two silently headed to the Common Room. As they passed the notice board, with the announcement of the masquerade still up, Gen let out a nervous giggle and said, "Sounds boring, doesn't it?"

Remus followed her gaze to the announcement and nodded. "Too formal for me."

He did not catch the disappointed look on her face. But as she said good-bye to him and joined the other girls, they did.

"What's wrong, Gwennie?" Lily asked with a frown. "You look so upset."

"Nothing." Gen said with a weary sigh as she sank down in the empty chair next to Lily.

"No, that look is completely the opposite of 'nothing'." Marci said with a sigh, dropping her quill onto her parchment and running her fingers through her hair in a sign of annoyance. "Come off it, Gwendolyn, spill."

"It's nothing!" Gen argued, slamming her Potions book on the table angrily.

"You put a dent in the table for nothing?" Celeste asked with a tiny smile. "Can I guess? Would that nothing have brown hair, a sexy smile, and is sitting on the other side of the Common Room?"

Gen blushed lightly and engrossed herself in her Potions essay.

"Yeah, that would be the nothing."

"I take it you're not going to go to the masquerade, then?" Marci asked. She sounded genuinely upset, hoping that Gen would suck it up and go so she wouldn't be too lonely then. Knowing Lily and Celeste, they would be off with their respective dates.

"I'll probably be too busy with homework." Gen muttered sourly.

"Want me to talk to Remus for you?" Celeste offered. "That way we all can be happy."

"No, thank you." Gen sighed, reaching into her bag for parchment and a quill. "I think I'll just sulk around until this bloody masquerade nonsense is over and done with."

"Um, looks like you'll have to wait a little longer to sulk." Lily whispered. "Come on, girls." she added as Sirius joined them. "Let's leave these two alone."

The three of them, Lily and Celeste stifling their giggles, Marci looking forlorn, headed to their dorm after very quickly gathering their things.

"Weird." Sirius muttered. "Anyway, Gwendolyn, I'm kind of glad they've left us alone."

"No, I will not go to the masquerade with you." Gen said quickly, looking away from him. "So forget it!"

"Didn't hurt to ask." Sirius muttered. "Why won't you go with me?"

"Because I dislike you." she said. "Besides, I doubt I'll be going to it, anyway. So don't waste your time."

"What did I ever do to you?" Sirius demanded. But Gen did not answer. She merely returned to her essay, ignoring any other questions and remarks he sent her way.


	6. Chapter 6

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 6

"Are you sure? Are you absolutely positive you aren't going?" Lily asked, turning to Gen, who began to scowl at her Potions book.

"Why should I go?" Gen countered. "It's going to be dull."

"We could liven it up!" Lily argued.

"Are you kidding me?" Gen asked, looking at Lily as though she were mad. "You'll be busy with Potter. And besides, when have you ever wanted to get detention?"

"To be honest," Lily began, twirling a strand of hair nervously between her fingers, "I don't really want to be on a date with Potter by myself. Well, I won't be by myself, but you get what I'm saying... don't you?"

"I think I do." Gen began slowly, frowning at her book again. "But, no. You have to be a big girl and do this yourself."

"Not fair!" Lily pouted, looking less and less like 'a big girl' and more like a big baby. "Fine, then. I'll go tell Black why YOU'RE not going."

"Fine then." Gen said coolly.

It was Lily's turn to stare at Gen in disbelief. "You really don't want to go, do you?"

"No, I told you I didn't."

Lily groaned inwardly and thought, 'Maybe it'll be easier to talk Lupin into going than it will be her.'

But as she glanced across the room, she figured it might be just as hard. Remus was at a table in the corner, which was covered in books, parchment, quills, and ink, his head bent low over his parchment. He looked exhausted and had an expression similar to Gen's on his face.

'Well,' Lily thought, 'maybe I can get James to talk him into going so Gen'll go.'

But James was with Sirius. And Lily did not like talking much, at all, around Sirius, who seemed to think everything she said was a joke. Gathering up all of her courage, and tempting to leave her temper behind, she headed over to James and Sirius.

"James, can I ask a favor of you?" she began. At his confused look, she rambled on quickly, hoping Sirius could not decipher what she was saying, "GetRemustogotothemasqueradesoGen'llgotoo?"

Apparently, Sirius did not understand her. But James did. "I can try, Lily." he muttered. "But I can't promise anything. I'll talk to him, then I'll talk to her tomorrow after Quidditch practice, if that's all right with you?"

"Fine," Lily smiled, sounding a little breathless. "Thank you." she added, giving him a swift hug before hurrying back to Gen.

"What was that about?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows meeting in confusion.

"Don't worry about it." James shrugged, rummaging through his bag for his ink.

"It's my business, mate." Sirius said with a playful grin. And before James could tell him that it wasn't, he added, "You know everything has to be my business."

James thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, you have to know everything, don't you?"

"I sure do." Sirius said smugly.

"Well, you don't have to know this." James said, trying not to laugh at Sirius's glare. "So," he began innocently, "how many girls have asked you?"

"Lost count. And I don't care. You know there's only one girl I want to go with. I hear she can ballroom dance, too."

"Now where did you hear that?" James asked, looking just as confused as Sirius had a moment before. "I didn't even know that."

"Her cousin." Sirius laughed. "Where else?" He scowled at the pile of homework in front of him that he had been neglecting for the past several minutes. "Better get started on this, shouldn't I?"

"Or you won't be going at all." James laughed. "Same here." he added as Sirius jabbed moodily at his homework with his quill. "Can't keep Lily waiting, now can I?"


	7. Chapter 7

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 7

With a scowl, Gen tugged her scarlet robes over her her head. Tomorrow night was the masquerade, and so far, she had all ready been asked, twice. And James had that look on his face that meant he was planning on discussing something with her.

"Come on, Gen." James called, tossing the Quaffle at her. "You seem out of it." he added as she narrowly caught the scarlet ball. "You sure you feel up to practicing tonight?"

"Yeah." Gen sighed weakly. "Yeah, I'm up to it."

"All right." James frowned. "But I'm not taking you to the Hospital Wing if you get hurt."

"Some captain." Gen frowned. Then she giggled and said, "Though you're right. It you do me some good to drag myself there if I get hurt."

"Just get out there." James laughed.

Nearly two hours later, Gen was sporting a broken nose and James was nursing a shattered wrist. "Those Beaters, I swear." he sighed, leaning against the bed and glancing at Gen, who was frowning as Madam Pomfrey fussed at her, trying to hold her still so she could mend her nose.

"Don't say they get over-excited." Gen said thickly. "That would be an understatement."

"I wasn't going to." James said, wincing as Madam Pomfrey roughly seized his wrist to mend it. "Little rough, aren't you?" he asked her.

"It's your fault for getting into Quidditch." she said haughtily. "That sport, I swear! It should be outlawed!"

She headed to her office, grumbling to herself. Gen sighed and grabbed her broom. "I hope Hali got the balls put away and everyone back to the Common Room in one piece." she muttered.

"She probably did. I overheard McGonagall say she would have made her Captain if not for me." James muttered. "Let's take the long way back to the Common Room. I need to talk to you."

"Oh, boy, here it goes." Gen groaned. "Let me guess: you want me to go the masquerade so Lily will be happy?"

"Right."

"And you also know I won't go if Remus doesn't, right?"

"Right."

"I'm sorry, but if he's not going to be there, I've really got no reason to go. Besides, I have homework -- "

"Forget homework!" James said wearily. "When have you ever cared about homework? Listen, even if Remus doesn't go, it'll be fun! And I'll embarrass myself and dance with you if you want."

Gen managed a tiny smile. "It's tempting, but I really don't know."

"Don't make me beg, Gwennie!" It was obvious he meant it. "If Lily's unhappy, I'm unhappy. And if I'm unhappy, well, I really don't think anyone else will be unhappy, but that's not my point."

Gen began to giggle. "If you can talk Remus into going, I'll be sure to go. Otherwise, I'll just consider it."

"Well, that's better than nothing." James sighed. "I tried to talk to Remus earlier, but he seemed as stubborn as you. I think I can try to talk to him while he's half-asleep. He'll agree to anything when he's tired."

Gen smiled, thinking of how cute that would be, caught James grinning at her, and started to blush. "Shut up!" she said before he could say anything. "Or I won't go!"

"OK, OK!" James laughed.

By this time, they had reached the Common Room. Gen bade him good-night before heading to the girls' dorm. 'And good luck. If Remus is as stubborn as I am about this, I'm sure he'll need it.' she thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Valentine's Masquerade

Chapter 8

The four girls, well, three of them, anyway, were chattering excitedly and changing into their dress robes, doing their hair, and adding a touch of make-up. Gen was staring moodily at her pale purple dress robes as though they had done her a great injustice.

"Want me to do your make-up, Gwendolyn?" Lily offered sweetly.

"No, thank you." Gen sighed. "I don't think I'll wear any."

"Not even a little lip gloss?" Marci asked, looking slightly horrified.

"No." Gen pouted. Sure, James had come up to her after lunch and told her Remus had, reluctantly, agreed to go to the masquerade, but she figured Remus would lurk in the corner or bolt as soon as he could.

Lily stuck her tongue out at Gen as she finished adding lip gloss. "Gen's going to be the Scrooge of Valentine's Day." she said with a giggle.

"That's me. Bah, humbug and all that."

The other three girls rolled their eyes. Celeste and Marci quickly left to meet up with their dates from Ravenclaw. Lily stayed behind to make sure Gen got dressed and went instead of holing herself up in the dorm all night. "Gen, James told me he'd promised you that he'd embarrass himself and dance with you."

"And you're fine with that?" Gen asked, finally changing into her dress robes.

"Hey, I don't mind if it's just one dance."

Gen grinned and asked, "So, I take it you're taking a shine to our dear sexy Quidditch boy?"

"I might..." Lily said, blushing deeply.

"That's a yes." Gen giggled. As Lily continued to blush, and glare at her, she added, "It's cute, Lily! Don't give me that look!"

Lily continued to frown at her as they made their way to the Entrance Hall, where they were immediately handed masks. "Cute." Gen frowned, putting hers on. "Shame Sirius'll probably still recognize me." she added with a shudder.

"He's got it for, and badly." Lily giggled as James immediately appeared next to them.

"Well, that was fast." Gen said, beginning to giggle as well. "Where's your mask?" she demanded.

"I refuse to wear it."

"Oh, that's nice." Lily said, rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Yeah, just defeat the whole point, James. Lovely." Gen smiled.

"I know." he smiled, tossing an arm around their shoulders. "I'm good at doing that."

Gen wriggling out of his grasp and said, "No, you two have fun. I plan on leaving after you dance with me like you promised."

"About that..." James began slowly. He did not get the chance to finish as the doors to the Great Hall flung open and people began to rush inside.

"Figures." Gen frowned, getting shoved by people, and shoving back. She finally managed to get to a table as was quickly joined by a scowling Remus.

"I can't believe James talked me into this." he said, obviously not noticing she was there.

"Tell me about it. James is a damn miracle worker." Gen said irritably.

"That's James for you." Remus laughed, raising his butterbeer in a toast. "I'm glad Lily finally gave him a chance."

"Me too." Gen murmured.

"I told you I couldn't dance." James murmured, his face pressed against Lily's hair.

"I can't either." she laughed. "Gen's the one who dances. I should have gotten her to teach me a little bit before tonight, but she's been moody lately."

"When isn't she moody? But let's not talk about her right now, all right?"

"All right." Lily murmured, resting her head against his chest. 'Damn.' she thought. 'I wish I had given into him sooner. He's actually sweeter than he made out to be.'

"Something bothering you?" he asked softly, brushing a stray stand of hair out of her face.

"No, nothing." she said weakly. "I was just thinking about something. It's nothing."

"You sure?" he asked, looking deeply concerned.

"Positive." she smiled. "Let's take a break, OK?"

He led her to the table where Gen and Remus, who had been joined by Sirius, were sitting. "How's it going?" James began innocently.

"Boring." Gen answered. "Except for when I poured my butterbeer on Sirius."

Sirius frowned at her, his bangs beginning to stick to his forehead from the drying butterbeer. "All I did was ask her to dance."

"You know she hates you, Sirius." James grinned. "Why did you even ask?"

"Pity." Sirius said with a wink.

Lily rolled her eyes at him and managed a tiny smile in Gen's direction. "Seen the other two?" she asked, taking the empty seat next to her.

"No, actually, I haven't. Knowing Celeste, she's gone somewhere, ah, private."

James, meanwhile, was giving Remus a stern glare. "Dance – with – Gwen!" he hissed as Sirius's attention was on something else.

"I'm not dancing!" Remus hissed back.

"I'll buy you loads of chocolate next time we go to Honeyduke's."

"I'm not dancing, James, forget it."

"Having fun, Lily?" Gen asked, stifling a yawn.

"Mm-hmm." Lily nodded. "You were right. James is rather sweet, once you get to know him and he's not being an unreasonable, arrogant bully."

"I think I can accept that as a compliment." James grinned. "Although it kind of didn't seem like one."

"From Lily, I think that's as good as you'll get." Gen laughed.

"Gen!"

"What?" Gen demanded. "You've never said anything completely positive in your life when it comes to James!"

Lily glared at her as the three boys started to laugh. "That's for sure." Sirius smirked.

"You are both so unfair." Lily said with a frown. "You two definitely belong together."

Gen let out a yelp of protest as Sirius grinned and winked at her. "You know she's right, Gwendolyn." he began, only to have Gen finish it by snatching Remus's butterbeer and pouring it on his head, adding to the sticky mess.

"I was drinking that!" Remus argued.

"Sorry." Gen whispered. "I'll go get you another one." she said, half rising from her chair.

"It's all right." Remus told her with a weak smile. "I was just heading back to the dorm anyway. I've got an essay I need to finish before next weekend."

Lily and James exchanged frowns, both of them catching the hurt look on Gen's face as Remus bade them good-night and quickly left the Great Hall. But Sirius caught it as well. "Gen..." he began sternly.

"Oh, shut up." she said, frowning at the table.

"Hey, Sirius, dance with Lily while I dance with Gen?" James asked, quickly grabbing Gen's hand and leading her onto the floor before Lily or Sirius could protest. "I'm sorry." he added softly to Gen as she sniffled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"It's not your fault." she sighed. "I can't help being all emotional."

"I know." James grinned. "You want to show me up?" he asked.

"No, I couldn't do that to you." Gen smiled. "You're my friend, and I'm not that cruel."

"Thanks." he smiled. "You know, I think Lily has actually changed her mind about me."

"She has." Gen murmured. "I knew she'd come around."

"Me, too." James smiled. "Though I wish she had done it sooner."

"Oh, come on, James. You'll have the rest of forever with her. Trust me, she adores you. She thinks you're so sweet. I swear she's getting cavities from you." Laughing, she added, "Me, too."

"I'm not sweet! I'm a degenerate rule breaker." James laughed.

"James, it's not good to be proud of that." Lily said as Sirius led her beside them.

"It is for me! My record will stand forever!"

Simultaneously, the two girls groaned. Boys. Proud of things that people weren't supposed to be proud of. But, James was lovable. He had that going for him, at least.

As for Sirius, well, they couldn't really figure out an excuse for him.

As the dance ended, Gen gave James a faint smile before muttering she was tired and was going to go to bed. He said nothing, merely nodding as she added, "Have fun with Lily. But not too much fun. Or I'll be forced to hurt you."

"Gen's just being protective." Lily said, smiling when she told him. "She should be worried about Sirius, since he's the one with the reputation with girls and not you."

"Oh, insult me, Lily." James smiled. "I love you, too."

She blushed deeply and looked away. "I didn't say I loved you."

"The blush proved it, though." James said, bringing her hand to his lips. "And don't say I was seeing things. You've been blushing on and off all night."

"I – you – OOOH!" Lily growled.

"You know, you're really cute when you're angry with me." James smiled.

"Oh, just because you're being sweet doesn't mean I won't – oh, nevermind. I can't get mad at you knowing how sweet you can be." Laughing, she brushed a light kiss against his cheek. "This was actually pretty fun. You'll have to take me to Hogsmeade next weekend."

"Is that your way of asking me out?"

"Maybe." she smiled as he lead her to the Common Room. "Good night, James." she said at the foot of the stairs leading to the girls' dorm.

"Good night."


End file.
